South Africa: Chicken Bone Turns Sunday Lunch Into Nine-Day Hospital Stay

What the report says

A Health-e report republished by AllAfrica describes how a Sunday family meal in Gauteng left Dorothy Khomo in hospital for nine days after a chicken bone became stuck in her throat. Khomo, from Duduza township near Springs on the East Rand, first tried to manage the discomfort at home after church, but her pain, fever and swelling worsened overnight.

According to the article, Khomo was first seen at Nokuthela Ngwenya Clinic in Dunnottar and then referred to Pholosong Regional Hospital. She says she was initially told to return later because an ear, nose and throat specialist was not immediately available. When she came back the next day, a scan showed the bone was still lodged in her throat, and doctors carried out emergency surgery to remove it.

The report says Khomo could not eat normally after the procedure and was fed through a tube before gradually moving to soft foods. It also notes that sharp bones can cause serious complications such as infection, perforation or abscesses, and that medical experts advise seeking prompt care if a swallowed bone is suspected. Beyond this case, the article adds broader context on chicken bone eating as a common part of some Southern African food traditions, while warning that small fragments can still pose a food-safety risk.